


First Words.

by LoganThrives (LadyAnatares)



Category: Shall We Date?: Obey Me!
Genre: Blood and Violence, F/M, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Other, POV Second Person, Possessive Behavior, Self-Insert OC, Soulmate AU, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Suggestive Themes, Thievery, Yandere
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:42:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 19,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25710805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyAnatares/pseuds/LoganThrives
Summary: This is based on the soulmate AU idea where the first words you and your soulmate say to each other is mysteriously tattooed onto your arm at birth. I've made a couple of modifications to the idea, namely:- As soon as the words are spoken to each other, they fade away- The words are written in the native language of the speaker- The words are written in the handwriting of the speaker- The words must be said face to face while looking at each otherAll of this is to set it up so that Logan doesn'tknowthe demon is their soulmate, but they do :)Logan is my genderfluid self-insert OC and their pronouns and gender presentation change on a daily basis, and are narrated as a reader insert. So far I've done a chapter with Diavolo with she/her pronouns, but I may mix it up with later chapters as I plan to do all of the boys.
Relationships: Asmodeus (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Character(s), Beelzebub (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Character(s), Belphegor (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Character(s), Diavolo (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Character(s), Leviathan (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Character(s), Lucifer (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Character(s), Mammon (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Chraracter(s), Satan (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Character(s)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 120





	1. Diavolo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Went with she/her pronouns for this one.

Growing up you were always teased for the super fancy scrawl on your arm. The words appeared when you were born, just like with everyone else’s soulmates first words, written in a language you don’t know and haven’t found a way to translate your whole life. The other kids used to tease you that you must have a Prince from a foreign land as your soulmate, as if you would ever get so lucky. The years went on and on and you gave up on it – without having any way of understanding the regal script, how are you ever supposed to find your soulmate?

For Diavolo, he’d learned to hide the phrase written on his arm in the clumsy scrawl early in his life, strangely written in modern English rather than in his native Demonic, as demons would see the phrase and attempt to set up an encounter to make him think that they were his soulmate. Thousands upon thousands of years had passed, and the realm had forgotten about the words on his arm. He’d almost forgotten about them too, until one fateful morning…

* * *

A handsome male voice is speaking to you, but you don’t quite hear what he says.

You blink bleary-eyed at your surroundings, having just been abruptly woken up from sleep. You find yourself standing in a large room with several men in uniform seated before you. Startled and confused, you look down at your body. Thankfully, you’re wearing clothes in this dream… Well, pajamas at least. Although, something about this seems to be _too vivid_ to be just a dream?

“Is this a dream?” you ask plainly. Because if it _is_ one, then it’s an extremely detailed lucid dream and your creative subconscious mind deserves way more credit. You almost expect to wake up as soon as the words leave your tongue, having just dispelled the illusion of a dream by asking it directly if it is one or not.

… No, it _must_ be real. The men study you with amusement clear on their faces, save for one.

… You’ve never seen anyone as handsome as him before.

His face is twisted in confusion as he looks at you, so much so the man with black hair seated nearby looks over at him with concern. “Lord Diavolo, are you feeling alright?” he asks.

The man in red, Lord Diavolo apparently, seems to snap himself out of his brief stupor. “… I’m alright, Lucifer. Thank you for asking. Now, where were we?”

Lord Diavolo finishes introducing himself and his academy, explaining that you have been summoned on a one year exchange program to RAD. There seems to be a gentle shine in his eyes as he speaks to you, and you feel warm and welcomed by his friendly presence.

You barely even seem to notice that you are standing in the presence of the future Demon King, nor how he studies your every move.

 _‘You have no idea how long I have waited to hear those words said to me so genuinely,’_ he thinks to himself.

* * *

You seem to get cornered into lockers a _lot_ at RAD. What is this, a highschool?? And here you thought this was an academy for mature demons.

“I heard this human is the one to make a pact with Mammon already,” the demon sneers to their friend, both of them encroaching on your personal space far more than you’d like.

“ _This human_ can hear you just fine, and would appreciate you not talking about me like you’re not trying to back me into your locker,” you spit.

“She’s just _begging_ to get eaten,” their friend says, cackling. You wince as flecks of spittle fly at your face. “Talking back to demons? I bet your soul would taste rather spicy going down.”

“Right, I’d give you indigestion for sure,” you snap back. “My stomach doesn’t handle your weird demon food so well, after all. Trust me, it wouldn’t end well for you.”

“Only one way to find out, right?” the first demon laughs.

“You might wanna rethink that, actually,” you insist, glancing over his shoulder.

“Why’s that? You going to summon your pet Mammon to help?” the second suggests, sneering at you.

“I don’t need to,” you smile. “Since Lord Diavolo _just_ walked up behind you.”

“ _Well_ ,” the prince hums as their faces fall, turning away from you. “Duriel, Azmodan, I expect to be seeing you over your lunch period. We should talk,” he suggests. “Although don’t you both have to get to Ms. Andariel’s class this period? I know she dislikes when her students are tardy.”

While the smile on his face and the warmth in his words tell one story, his absolutely frigid aura and the fallen looks on their faces tell a completely different tale. They scurry off back to wherever they came from, tails between their legs, while you dust off your uniform and let out a small sigh of relief.

“… Thank you, Lord Diavolo,” you say. “I was going to summon Mammon if they actually put their hands on me, but I’m glad it didn’t escalate any further and that you showed up when you did.”

“… You shouldn’t challenge demons like that, Logan,” Diavolo warns you, concerned. “What would I do if I had lost you?”

Right, because this exchange program is part of his plan to bring peace to the three worlds. “Sorry, Lord Diavolo. I’ll try to be more careful,” you promise.

“Why would you stand up to them like that?” he asks, curiosity mixed with concern. “I happen to know those demons very well. If you had waited any longer to ask for help then you would have become Duriel’s lunch for sure.”

You press your lips together as you think on that. “I suppose… It’s sort of a self-defense mechanism?” you say. “It works better on humans, obviously, but it’s like… I don’t want to show fear when confronted like that, so I try to show strength instead, by talking back and asserting myself as an equal, somehow.”

Diavolo seems surprised by your words, falling silent as he considers them.

“I know it’s probably stupid to try that here, I don’t have any magic after all and have to rely on others for help, but… I guess it’s just my default instinct that I-“

“No, no, that’s alright Logan,” he smiles kindly. “I was just thinking about how unique your perspective is at times. Holding your ground with demons with just words is a rare ability for a human to have. You know, you would make for a good leader someday.”

 _‘You would make for a good Queen someday’_ , he thinks.

“Oh, I sincerely doubt that, Lord Diavolo,” you fluster.

“And I think I would like to hear more about that perspective of yours,” Diavolo insists. “You have a break now, do you not? Please come join me in my office for tea. Barbatos will serve us lunch as well.”

You’re shocked. “That’s too generous, Lord Diavolo,” you admit. “Um, I _was_ going to meet Mammon at the cafeteria…”

“You would turn down the future King of Demons?” he pouts playfully.

That gets a snicker out of you. “No, you’re right. I couldn’t,” you agree.

You fall in line beside him as he escorts you to his office for a light lunch.

* * *

“I’m not his favourite!”

“You almost certainly are, Logan,” Simeon laughs good-naturedly at your study session at Purgatory Hall. “But that’s alright – you’re uniquely charming in your own right, I’m sure that Lord Diavolo just appreciates that about you.”

“I can’t help but be a bit jealous of you,” Solomon muses, grinning. “I’m a human exchange student too, but I don’t get invited over to the castle for tea half as often as you do.”

“Maybe because you keep hassling him for his pact,” you retort.

“Hey now, I only asked him twice,” he pouts.

“That’s twice too many, _clearly_ ,” you say, gently shoving him by the shoulder.

“You can’t trust him Logan!” Luke insists indignantly. “I don’t know whatever he wants with you, but I’m sure it’s not good! I mean, this is _Lord Diavolo_ we’re talking about, the future King of all Demons??”

“He really doesn’t seem that bad Luke, honestly,” you roll your eyes.

“What do you two even talk about on your dates?” Solomon asks.

“Okay, first off – they’re _not_ _dates_ ,” you correct him firmly. “Lucifer would probably _kill_ me if he heard you say that. No _way_ I can steal his boyfriend from him.”

“Pfft!” Simeon laughs into his fist, rolling onto his side and holding his gut. “Oh Logan, if Luci could hear you…”

“He’d strangle me, I know,” you roll your eyes. “Anyways, he usually starts by asking me how my classes are all going, and then we get into like, deep talks about… I don’t know, my weird brain?”

“In what way?” Solomon asks.

“Well, he seems fascinated by the fact that I picked up on Demonic so fast, and made a pact with Mammon so quickly,” you reveal. “But then there’s other things like, how I react in certain situations, what decision I would make based on a hypothetical scenario… Things like that? _Weird_ things, like he wants to understand how I think or who I am on a deeper level for some reason.”

“Hmm, that _does_ seem a bit above and beyond casual conversation,” Simeon agrees studiously, righting himself from the floor.

“I wonder why he’s so curious?” Solomon muses.

“Whatever the reason is, it can’t be good!” Luke insists mournfully. “Logan, you _have_ to stop seeing Lord Diavolo! As an angel, I must forbid it for your own safety!”

“Really? Well, that is a shame. I was hoping that Logan could join me for a walk tonight.”

Your heart does a funny thing at his voice. You freeze and turn your head in place as you see the Demon Prince himself standing in the doorway to Simeon’s room at Purgatory Hall.

“Lord Diavolo, what an unexpected surprise!” Simeon greets him, fixing his cloak and standing from the floor.

“I apologize for interrupting,” Diavolo smiles. “I heard that Logan was studying over here tonight from Lucifer. Is it alright if I borrow her for a little while?”

“Of course, Lord Diavolo,” Solomon nods his head in a humble bow.

“Solomon, you don’t get to speak for me,” you scowl at him, and he laughs. “But… Yes, I could probably do with some fresh air,” you admit, standing and facing the Prince.

Luke scrambles up from the floor and stands between you and the Prince as you approach him with his arms out to create a wall between you, a very determined expression on his youthful face.

Sighing, you pick him up from under his arms and lift him like a small child while Diavolo laughs. Luke huffs and puffs as you, struggling in your grasp but unable to get away. You set him back on his feet to one side, then you take Diavolo’s outstretched hand when he offers it to you.

* * *

“It kind of sounds to me like this scenario isn’t even really about the territory dispute,” you frown, confused at this new hypothetical question he’s given you. “It honestly sounds like more of a personal problem between the two of them than an actual debate about lines on a map or whatever.”

“I was honestly thinking that could be the case, myself,” he smiles.

“Wasn’t this something you read in a book?” you ask, confused by his comment.

“I may have to re-read that passage again,” he deflects. “It was some time ago, and there may be more information that I missed.”

“Ah, I guess that makes sense.”

“… It is a lovely night, isn’t it?” he says wistfully, glancing up at the sky.

“It’s always night here,” you tease him. “But… Yes, I do like it when the sky lights up with those bands of colour at this hour.”

“Do you ever miss the sun, Logan?” he asks. “I know that it is important for humans to see the sunlight every so often, and I worry that the eternal night of the Devildom may be a detriment to you and the other exchange students at times…”

“… I don’t mind it,” you shake your head, smiling faintly. “The sun on a nice day is nice, but I’ve actually always preferred nighttime. I feel naturally more alert and active at night, so it’s like, since coming down here I feel energized, more so that I ever felt back home.”

“I see,” he smiles, pleased.

“Have you ever seen the sun?” you ask. “In the human world, I mean. Sorry, actually forget it. You’re thousands upon thousands of years old, so you’ve probably-“

“I haven’t,” he answers firmly.

“… Really? You’ve _never_ seen the sunlight?” you blink in shock. “Why not?”

“There are strict terms of our cease-fire with the Celestial Realm,” he explains. “One of which is that travel to the human world for demons is restricted, especially so for me. I may send other demons like Lucifer and Barbatos on assignments from time to time, but I haven’t been very many times myself, and seem to have only been there at night.”

“You should get to go, at least once,” you insist automatically. “I mean, that’s just not fair. Do you think you could ask the Celestial Realm to let you take a vacation to a beach in Florida or something? Just for a couple of days to see what it’s all about?”

… You also sort of wonder how he would look in the full sunlight, especially in his demon form. Would the gold on his horns shine like you think they should in the light?

He laughs warmly at your insistence. “You think I should take a vacation, Logan?”

“I mean, yeah! I know you shuffle a fair amount of work onto Lucifer, but you always keep the bulk of it yourself. You deserve a getaway.”

“Perhaps I could ask, if I had someone to come with me,” he beams at you. “Would you be interested?”

You stumble your next step, and his arms come up to catch you. Your face is boiling hot as he brings you up against his chest, your faces only inches apart.

“Careful, Logan,” he hums, holding your chin. “I didn’t expect you would fall for me so abruptly.”

“B-But, Lord Diavolo-“ you stutter, shocked at what he just said.

“You don’t have to address me as Lord from now on, and I am sorry I didn’t say so sooner,” he smirks. “After all, I know you only use the honorific because you feel like you are supposed to, and not because you think of me as being in an elevated position in society.”

“But, _that’s_ \- I didn’t _mean_ -!“

“And that’s because you think of authority in a different way,” he continues. “You tend to think of everyone around you as equals and treat them as such because that’s how you desire to be treated yourself. It’s not disrespectful in the slightest, nor is it narcissistic as you were worried once before, it is just a different viewpoint that I frankly find very refreshing.”

You finally gather your wits, pressing your hands to his chest and taking a step back to assert your space. “… Diavolo,” you breathe. “ _What_ are you getting at? Why would you ask me something like if I would go on _vacation_ with you?”

He takes your hands pressed against him in his, stroking his warm thumbs along the backs of them.

“… Is the thought of being alone with me objectionable to you in some way?” he asks.

“ _No_ , but, I just don’t know if it’s _appropriate_ ,” you say, frowning. “I mean, you’ve got me pegged on the titles thing but, in spite of my feelings about authority and equality and whatever you’re _still_ a Prince and I’m just…” you trail off. “Plus, I’m sorry, but I’m not really looking for a relationship right now? _If_ that’s uh, what you’re implying. I just, I have a _lot_ of mixed feelings about that still.”

“Because of your ex, right?” he gently suggests.

“… You are _too_ good of a listener, sometimes,” you scowl. You told him about that whole messy situation _weeks_ ago over tea.

“… Logan,” he begins gently. “This is a lot to ask but, if you’re amenable to the idea, I would like to begin seeing you romantically. I regret that it has taken me so long to ask, but I truly do find you fascinating and I would like to continue to spend time with you, if you’ll have me.”

“… Lord Diavolo, I-“

“Just Diavolo, please,” he insists.

“… Diavolo,” you start again. “I don’t know what to say. You could have anyone you ever wanted, just… Why _me?_ ”

“You are very special to me Logan,” he grins. “I would have said so much earlier but I wasn’t sure how you would receive it. However, I hate to be dishonest and cannot stand it any longer, so I’ll say it now. You are the first person I have ever known to stand up for yourself in the ways that you have, a human against demons no less, and it made me realize that I could benefit from your strength. As I got to know you better and learned more about your convictions and the unique way you see the world, I realized I could benefit from your wisdom and intelligence. And now, you are the first person in all my years of service as Prince of the Devildom to suggest that I deserve a vacation, and I realized that maybe I need someone with your kindness at my side.”

“… Okay, so what do I get out of the deal?” you challenge. That all sounds nice and complimentary but it’s also all things that you can do for him, so it seems a bit one-sided.

He chuckles at that. “Everything you could ever want for, all that I have to offer, all that I am, if you’ll have me.”

There’s a not so subtle twist in your gut, insisting you accept him with an urgency you’ve never really felt before tonight.

But you haven’t really listened to your gut in years.

“… I need to think about this,” you back off a bit. “This is frankly a _lot_ to take right now and I just… I don’t know what the right answer is.”

“Didn’t you once tell me that there are no ‘right or wrong decisions – there are just decisions’?” he grins.

“Okay yes but I got that from a D&D podcast, that wasn’t even _my_ wisdom,” you roll your eyes.

“What would you like to do, then?” Diavolo prompts you again. “What do you want to do?”

… You can’t outright say _no_ to him, can you? Not because he’s the Prince, not because he’s being so sweet and earnest right now, and not even because he just offered you his whole kingdom for a date. But it feels like, there is something _more_ to this, somehow? That if you turned him away completely based on bad experiences with bad exes, that it would be the biggest regret of your entire life?

You know that Diavolo is nothing like them, though. He’s always been kind, considerate, attentive, and he hangs on to your every word at your little tea parties.

“… We could try it out?” you suggest. “I mean, I personally still don’t get why you’d ask me, but… We could date a bit, see how it feels.”

… You were _not_ expecting him to lean down and kiss you on the cheek. And yet it feels… _Right_.

“Prepare yourself, as I plan to be doing a lot more of that from now on,” he grins.

* * *

News of your relationship spread through the Devildom like wildfire. The brothers started escorting you to and from places more frequently as jealous demons would descend on you without warning if you were alone even for a split second. Lucifer would make a point of escorting you to and from the castle each night you went to see Diavolo, a frown on his face the whole way there and back. You eventually moved into the castle permanently to avoid the walk.

You and Diavolo fell into a comfortable routine quickly though – he would make time three nights a week to dote on you, spending it either indulging in human media together or just sitting and talking with each other about everything and anything. You also make a point to get him out of the house at least once a month – dragging him through marketplaces or to different restaurants and cafes that he’s never tried before.

You even got him to book a weekend in Florida and saw him enjoy the sun and white sand beaches for the first time ever, although he seemed much more interested in spending as much time in the resort room alone with you than out enjoying the sunlight and scenery.

“What do you think? Should we get you one to match?” he hums pleasantly in your ear, having you seated on his throne at the castle late one evening. His lips brush against your ear where he stands leaned over you, your hands caressing the muscles of his chest through his shirt.

“Is that your way of proposing to me?” you ask, grinning.

“Perhaps. What do you think?”

“Mm, I don’t know, I think I like this one best,” you tease him, stretching out on his throne.

“Hmm. I think you’re right,” he beams.

Then he quickly scoops you up in his arms and you gasp, flailing as you’re suddenly lifted clear off the seat and into the air.

“Dia _volo!!_ ” you yelp.

He sits down and brings you back down, draped over his lap with his arms around your shoulders and under your knees. “I think this is _much_ better, don’t you?” he smirks, leaning down and kissing you on the lips.

“… You are _such_ a brat when we’re alone,” you scold him, laughing.

Someone clears their throat nearby. Your face falls and you shift to get off of his lap, but Dia holds you in place.

“Lord Diavolo… Logan,” Lucifer’s smooth and deep voice greets you as he gives a slight bow. “Am I interrupting something?”

“Thank you for coming Lucifer,” Diavolo smiles.

You turn in towards Dia, a bit embarrassed to be caught flirting like this. “I should get up,” you rasp in a whisper.

“Don’t you dare,” he whispers back scoldingly, gripping you tighter. “In fact, I need your advice on another scenario, and I think Lucifer should be here for this one.”

“Again?” you blink. “Okay, what is it?”

“Suppose there is someone who has been imprisoned because they were angry about their younger sister’s tragic and untimely death,” he begins. “He was imprisoned because his anger over the situation led to hatred for the people who were indirectly responsible for her death, to the point that he might attack and even kill them on sight out of said anger. But, unbeknownst to him, his sister actually survived the attack, and wound up joining the very group of people he despises where she lived a long and full life.”

… It kind of sounds like he’s describing Belphegor’s situation, but with more information added. And from the look on Lucifer’s face, you know you’re not wrong. “… Go on,” you say.

“Given that scenario, what would you do?” he asks sincerely. “Would you continue to keep him prisoner where he can do no harm, or release him where he might harm a very large group of people, the same group that his sister became a part of without his knowledge?”

“Why doesn’t he know what really happened to his sister?” you ask. “It seems like telling him that would solve the problem, right?”

“… My Lord,” Lucifer attempts, wearing a pained expression. “What is the purpose of this?”

“Shh,” Diavolo shushes him. “Logan, I want to hear your thoughts. So you would tell him what happened so that you could release him? But what if his hatred runs too deep?”

“I don’t really know that that’s possible – it kind of sounds like he could benefit from therapy, honestly,” you suggest. “But really, he can’t exactly get over his hatred if he still thinks his sister’s death is their fault, right? How is he supposed to know any better when he’s been lied to from the start about what happened to her?”

“So you would tell him and release him?” he grins.

“I would tell him and _rehabilitate_ him,” you say. “If he’s _really_ that dangerous to this group, then keeping an eye on him and getting him some support would help, via therapy and other ways to help ease his return to society, depending on how long he’s been locked up for.”

“I see. Thank you for your wisdom as always, Logan,” Diavolo smiles.

“… My Lord,” Lucifer begins, his voice edged with regret.

“Belphegor never went to the human world as an exchange student, did he Lucifer?” Diavolo asks, frowning over your head. “That would have obviously been too dangerous with the mental state he was in when I first announced the exchange program.”

“… He did not,” Lucifer admits, frowning.

“He is locked up in the House of Lamentation, isn’t he?”

“… I placed a spell on the room to prevent his escape.”

“Lucifer…” you sigh.

“And you knew about this, didn’t you, Logan?” Diavolo asks, looking at you now.

You swallow hard as you feel Lucifer’s crimson eyes boring holes straight through you. “… I heard him calling for help,” you reveal. “I wanted to tell you about it… I didn’t know the part about his sister, though. So… I guess, you found a way to make her human?” you intuit.

“What did he say to you **specifically** , Logan?” Lucifer asks icily.

“That he wanted to talk and make amends with you,” you tell him honestly. “It was all bullshit of course – he was trying to manipulate me into making pacts with you and your brothers so that I could break the spell on the door myself, but I wanted to see if there was another way. … Sorry, Diavolo, I wanted to talk about it with you, but I honestly didn’t know how to even bring it up.”

“You know that neither one of you can lie to me,” Diavolo reminds you. “Although to be honest, I am glad that you did.”

“I beg your pardon?” Lucifer asks.

“If you had told me what he had done, that he wanted to destroy the human world that night out of revenge, I may have locked him up in the dungeon and thrown away the key, perhaps even executed him myself,” Diavolo reveals sternly. “However, that is not how I want to rule over the Devildom from now on. Belphegor deserves a chance at redemption, no matter how twisted his hatred has made him.”

“Logan,” he adds, looking to you now. “I am grateful that you did not fall for his deceptions and thought to bring it to my attention first, even though I just robbed you of the opportunity to do so. I am also glad that you hold no ill will towards him. Belphegor is very dangerous, and his hatred makes him only moreso. Do you truly think that he can be cured of his hatred for humanity? Do you think he can be rehabilitated, as you said?”

“… Yes, I do.”

“Then, I believe the three of us are overdue to pay him a visit,” Diavolo smiles.

* * *

“I still can’t believe a human bargained for my freedom,” Belphegor sighs. “Don’t think I owe you anything for this, you know.”

“You’re welcome,” you tease him.

“Shut up,” he grins.

It took a few days to get him to a state where he wouldn’t attack anybody on sight, as well as a very in-depth lookup of Lilith’s human family tree by yourself and Barbatos in order to show him his extended human family, but Belphegor was already back to a state where he could be trusted to return to his classes at RAD.

“So what’s the story with you, anyway?” he asks you one day out of the blue.

“What do you mean?” you counter.

“I mean, so you’re a human with no magic, with pacts over two of my brothers, who is apparently dating the future Demon King?” he analyzes. “Mind explaining to me how that works, exactly?”

You shrug uncertainly. “It just sort of happened? He invited me over for tea a lot and asked me lots of weird questions while I was there, like he was trying to get to know me? But in a really specific way, like he wanted to know exactly how I think.”

“Huh,” he hums.

He grabs your arm abruptly and you yelp in surprise. Beel stands from his seat on the other side of him, ready to stop his brother from hurting you.

“Hey!” you complain.

Belphegor pushes up your sleeve, inspecting your bare forearm. Then he grabs your other arm and does the same thing.

“What are you doing?” you finally ask.

“Have you already met your soulmate and then they died or something?” he reveals, letting go of your arm. “There’s supposed to be your soulmate’s first words written on your arm, right?”

“ _Oh_ ,” you blink. You had forgotten all about that. “I still had it, but it disappeared when I got here. I just assumed it’s because my soulmate must be human, but being in the world of demons the connection got cut off or something? I always figured that it might show back up once I got home.”

“… Hmm. Did you know that demons get that too?” he says.

“Wait, really?” you say, honestly surprised.

“Yeah. So what did yours say?”

“I never actually knew. It was in some crazy fancy script in a language I was never able to translate,” you shrug.

“Have you ever talked to Diavolo about this?” he presses.

“… No?”

“I think that maybe you should do that,” he smirks.

* * *

“Diavolo…”

“Yes, my love?” he smiles at you, reclined in bed in his demon form already, his human-like glamour dismissed as he settles in to read before sleep.

“Have you ever met your soulmate?” you ask.

He smiles softly at that, inclining his head in a nod. “Yes, I have,” he says.

“So, if I check your forearms under those bracer things, there’s not going to be anything there, right?” you highlight. “Because I just learned today that demons get the same thing – their soulmates’ first words spoken to them is written on their arm, then fades when they meet.”

“You can check my arms for yourself if you would like,” he offers, setting down his book and holding them out to you.

“That’s okay. I just want to know… What did they say to you?” you ask.

“’Is this a dream?’”

“… Well, _that’s_ not helpful,” you frown. It’s so vague, what context would someone even say that to him under? “And what was the response?”

“That was the response actually,” he grins.

“To what?”

“’Welcome to the Devildom, Logan.’”

…

“ ** _WHAT!?_** ”

Your brain has short-circuited. Diavolo rolls towards you and drags you into the bed with him, gazing at you lovingly as he nestles you into his broad chest.

You swat at him. “I can’t _believe_ you!!” you complain. “Why did you never _say_ anything?!”

“Well, partly because I didn’t think you heard me properly,” he chuckles. “I seemed to have summoned you from sleep, especially considering your follow-up question ‘is this a dream?’”

You cover you face as you fluster, cheeks and ears burning red. “DIA _VOLOOOH_ ,” you whine into your hands.

“Another part of it was because I wanted to be absolutely _sure_ it was you,” he explains, kissing the backs of your hands over your covered eyes. “I apologize for my persistent testing of you early on, but I needed to know what kind of person you were before I could comfortably pursue you.”

“Is _that_ why you were always bringing me over for tea and bombarding me with hypothetical scenarios and what-if bullshit?!” you demand.

“Not _all_ of those scenarios were fictional, you should know. In fact, you have been advising me on political matters for many months now,” he chuckles.

“… Oh my _GODS!!_ ”

“Last but not least,” he adds. “You made me very aware early on that you needed to be able to maintain your autonomy through your choices, and I wanted to respect that. I wanted it to be your choice to be my partner, and not force the issue by announcing that you were my soulmate.”

“… Okay, I actually appreciate that a lot,” you mumble, dropping your hands. “If you had told me right out of the gate I probably wouldn’t have believed you. I mean, I was never able to even read what was written on my arm.”

“I suppose it must have been written in Demonic in an elegant script?” he guesses. “At least, that is how Lucifer has always described my handwriting.”

“You are _kidding_ me right now,” you grumble, completely gobsmacked by this reveal.

“I wrote it down, what I had said to you, in order to show you at a later point,” he says, rolling away and opening a drawer in his nightstand. He pulls out a slip of paper, folded over once, then rolls back over to you and hands it to you. “Does this look familiar to you?”

You unfold it and gasp.

“ _This is it_ ,” you say, tracing your fingers along the curled letters, now able to read the Demonic phrase in the Prince’s curled handwriting. “This is what it said. ‘Welcome to the Devildom, Logan.’ I can’t _fucking_ believe…”

He pulls you into his chest and kisses the top of your ear before resting his cheek against yours. “Now that you know, has anything changed between us?”

That’s an extremely good question, you think.

“… No, I mean, not in a negative way, at least?” you suggest, setting the paper aside and rolling in towards him to look him in his gorgeous golden eyes. “I fell in love with you on my own – I didn’t need to know that you’re my soulmate to do that. My feelings for you haven’t diminished or changed in any way,” you reassure him, tracing your fingers along one of his horns.

“Then… In what ways _have_ they changed?” he presses.

“… I feel a lot more secure in our relationship, strangely enough,” you say. “I already trusted you, but I feel like I can do so more easily, like a weight I didn’t know was there has been lifted. I can love you more freely, though I didn’t feel restrained before, but I feel like I must have been unconsciously holding back, because of my past and all. I feel like… Like I’m right where I’m supposed to be,” you smile, tears gathering in the corners of your eyes. “And not just because we’re soulmates, although that helps to confirm it for me.”

“I feel the same way,” he grins.

“Then… Maybe we _should_ get a second throne made,” you blush. “You know, if I’m going to be sticking around and all.”

“I would love nothing more,” he breathes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm _still_ mad that the latest chapter robbed us of Diavolo. Give me the Dia!! Stop teasing me damnit!!
> 
> Also yes this is clumsy as hell but this is what happens when I write an entire 5k oneshot fic between the hours of midnight and 4am C:


	2. Belphegor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Went with they/them pronouns and a gender neutral presentation overall. Subtle possessive/yandere vibes, implied sex scene at the end.

The messy scrawl on your arm defied translation your whole life, and people would make fun of you for having a madman as your soulmate. Whatever language it was in – it being the first words your soulmate was to say to you, which appeared as a mark on your arm at birth – was written in a lazy, hurried script. Any symbols of the unknown language that were the same were impossible to tell, as they were all inconsistent sizes and shapes. You had given up on trying to figure them out years ago.

Belphegor resented the words written on his arm, his hatred for humanity made all the more intense by the very human words tattooed into his arm since his fall. They were in a rushed script, and in modern English, hinting that his soulmate might even be human. He wanted to burn the words right out of his own arm, but they persisted in spite of at least two attempts to do exactly that. Instead, he just resolved to try and forget about them, as there was no way he would ever accept a _human_ for his soulmate.

* * *

You finally managed to get Lucifer to buzz off for the night so you could see what was at the top of the stairs. You’ve heard them calling for help for several nights now, and you can’t exactly ignore someone who might need help.

All you had to do was nearly get slaughtered by Levi for knowing marginally more about TSL than he did to earn his pact, borrow his rare TSL vinyl, and loan it to Lucifer as a distraction. Because _that_ all makes logical sense.

Once you were in the clear, you ascended the spiral stairway to the attic without any further delay.

A man is waiting at the door to the only room on this floor, his fingers gripping the wood latticework window of the door he’s barred behind. He lifts his head of shaggy black hair and smiles at you.

“I _knew_ you were the one person who’d be able to find me,” he beams at you.

“What are you _doing_ in there?” you ask, appalled. “Is the door locked? How do I get you out?”

He blinks. “… _What_ did you just say to me?” he asks, an iciness to his words that wasn’t there just a moment ago.

You’re a bit confused at his reaction. “How do I get you out?” you repeat.

“No, _before_ that. What did you say to me?” he demands, gripping the lattice as if he wants to tear it to shreds.

“I’m sorry, I don’t remember,” you shake your head. “Listen, you were the one I’ve been hearing calling for help, right?”

He sucks in a sharp breath, backing off from the door in a hurry as if it’s suddenly caught fire.

“NO! How _dare_ you!” he snaps, stumbling back into the room and dropping himself in a sit on the side of a large bed. He scrambles, tugging at his sleeve and looking at his forearm for the briefest moment, then puts his head in his hands and rocks slightly in place.

“Are you _okay??_ ” you ask, bewildered by his behaviour. “Look, if you don’t want my help after all-“

“No! _Wait!_ ”

You had just backed off from the door to turn away and head back downstairs when you hear a _thump_ on the other side of it, him having run at it full speed to stop you from leaving.

“ _Please_ ,” he pleads desperately. “You’re the only person who can help me.”

You turn back to him fully. “Why are you in there, first off?”

“Okay so there’s a lot I need to tell you; First off, my name is Belphegor,” he introduces.

“… I’m Logan,” you introduce yourself, unsure.

“Sorry I was being… Anyways,” he dismisses flippantly. “Listen Logan, please. My brother Lucifer locked me in here months ago, we had a disagreement and I… I fucked up,” he seethes. “I _really_ fucked up. And I want to make amends with him somehow.”

“What can I do?” you ask.

“Honestly, I have no idea,” he frowns. “Can… Can you come closer for a sec?”

“… No,” you answer firmly, folding your arms where you stand a few feet away. “Sorry, but I’ve only just met you and you’re being _really_ erratic right now. I don’t know you and I _definitely_ don’t trust you.”

He sinks against the door, sighing heavily.

“No, you’re right,” he admits. “I’m a mess right now.”

He kneels on the floor for a moment, gently banging his head against the door and sighing heavily, then he finally collects himself and stands again, brushing his long bangs out of his face.

“I’m fine,” he insists, offering you a shaky smile as his fingers come through the latticework again. “ _Please_ come here? I won’t hurt you.”

“How do I know I can trust you?” you ask, still guarded.

“I will _never_ hurt you, Logan,” he insists firmly. “I swear it.”

“I don’t know the first thing _about_ you Belphegor, and frankly I’m more than a little skeptical of you now with how you were behaving. How can I trust you after all that?”

“I can only prove it by not hurting you,” he frowns, sighing again. “Actually, wait. I have an idea, but you _will_ have to come closer for this to work.”

“Tell me the idea first, and then I’ll decide.”

“I really botched this first impression, haven’t I?” he moans. “Fine. I was going to offer you my pact.”

You’re surprised. “Just like that?? Belphegor, what is your game here?”

“If you have my pact then you know I can never hurt you. You already have pacts with two of my brothers, right?” he says. “Lucifer mentioned it the last time he was up here. I want you to know that you can trust me.”

He is just a hot mess of impulses tonight, his emotions flitting back and forth wildly and you can hardly keep up. It must be because he hasn’t really had anyone to talk to in a while besides Lucifer, whom he’s clearly not on very good terms with.

But… You _did_ come up here because you heard him calling for help. And he _is_ locked in a room, obviously against his will. That doesn’t sit well with you, and you still feel the need to try and help him.

“… Okay,” you decide warily. If he gives you his pact, then you might be able to use it to summon him out of the room. “On one condition; I want you to tell me _everything_. Why you’re in there and the fight that got you locked up in the first place, _in detail_. Don’t leave anything out.”

“Of course,” he smiles, relieved. “I never want to lie to you about anything.”

* * *

“That… Is a _lot_ to take in.”

“I told you I messed up.”

“I think that’s the understatement of the _century_ , Belphegor.”

He gave you his pact, and then you sat on the floor against the door, his fingers holding yours through the latticework window as he told you what he was guilty of and why he’d been locked away. He wanted to hold your hand for some reason, so you let him grip your fingers at least.

“So… You hated humans because you’re mad about how your sister died, and you’ve been holding on to that anger for _thousands_ of years, and when Diavolo announced the exchange program you flew off the handle and announced to Lucifer that you wanted to _destroy_ the human world in retaliation. Is that everything?”

“That basically sums me up, yeah,” he sighs.

You pull your hand away from his, standing from the floor and turning to face him. He makes a displeased noise at the loss.

“Why should I trust you?” you ask curtly, folding your arms.

“… You shouldn’t,” he admits. “At least, not until I can prove it to you.”

“That doesn’t fill me with a lot of confidence, you know.”

“I know,” he frowns.

“What am I supposed to do with this?” you ask. “I mean, to be honest? I kind of agree with Lucifer now. Keeping you in there is _literally_ keeping me safe.”

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he insists, a desperate shine in his eyes. “I will _never_ hurt you, Logan. And I want to do better. First, I want to apologize to Lucifer.”

“And the human world?” you press.

He smiles faintly at that. “I’m not going to destroy it or hurt anyone. I promise.”

You’re still highly skeptical that he’s magically reformed himself given what he just finished telling you, but… He _did_ give you his pact, and something inside you makes you still want to help him, if he truly does want to do better.

“Okay, what can I do to help?” you ask.

He laughs at that - a small, relieved laugh - that you’re still willing to give him a chance.

“Nothing right now,” he says. “But you shouldn’t tell Lucifer that you saw me, obviously. Don’t tell any of my brothers either, because they’ll probably freak out. They don’t know that I’m up here. Let me talk to Lucifer first, he’ll be back tomorrow night and by then, maybe I can think of something.”

“Is there anything I can get you while you’re stuck in there?” you offer.

“A D.D.D. would be great so that we can keep in touch,” he suggests. “But you can’t ask Lucifer or Diavolo for it, they would get suspicious. Lucifer took mine when he locked me in here, and I don’t know what he’s done with it.”

“I could probably afford to buy one,” you think. “I don’t know where to get it, though. Do you think Mammon or Levi could help me?”

“They might get suspicious too,” he frowns. “’Why would you need a second D.D.D.’, right?”

Right, they would probably ask questions or spill the beans to their other brothers somehow.

“… I’ll figure something out,” you say, giving a slight wave as you turn and head for the stairs. “I’ll do what I can and try to see you tomorrow then. Good night, Belphegor.”

“… Belphie,” he says softly.

You turn back. “Hmm?”

“Call me Belphie, okay?” he smiles.

“Okay, Belphie.”

“Night Logan.”

“Night.”

* * *

The words on your arm disappeared at some point, you notice in the shower the next day, although you’re not entirely sure when. The long-sleeved RAD uniform hid them well, and you were never able to translate them anyways, having basically forgotten all about them years ago. You _think_ they were still there when you got to the Devildom, but you’ve been pulled in so many different directions since that you can’t honestly say you remember if they were or not.

 _My soulmate probably died before I could meet them_ , you figure. _That would be just my luck_.

Whatever the case may be, you decide to ignore it and move on with your life. Not like you haven’t been doing that already, anyways.

The next day at school all you can think about is how to get your hands on a second D.D.D. for Belphie. It’s a good idea – if he can hide it well enough for Lucifer’s nightly visits, then it will be a safer way for you to keep in touch and collaborate on how to get him out of there. You still have mixed feelings about what he told you, and about his erratic behaviour when you first came up the stairs, but you also can’t just leave him alone in that room to rot.

After all, he even gave you his pact to prove his sincerity. Aren’t pacts supposed to be a big deal for demons? Especially considering the hoops you had to go through for Mammon’s and Levi’s.

Finally, you decide on who to ask about finding a new D.D.D.

“I lost mine,” you sigh dejectedly. “Or Mammon sold it on me. Either way, I need to get a new one today.”

Barbatos hums indecisively. “And I suppose if I were to send you a message from mine now, your bag wouldn’t make a sound?”

 _How_ did he _know_ that!? You _should_ have left it at home today to reinforce the ruse, but you have your class schedules loaded into it. It’s basically critical to your survival as a student at RAD.

“Okay, so you caught me,” you admit. “I didn’t lose it. Really, I just want a new model because the one I have is so old and janky it apparently can’t load any more apps onto it, and Levi keeps telling me to try some.”

Now _that’s_ the truth. You remember someone telling you early on that that’s why you don’t have access to Deviltube. It can’t play videos very well and the storage is already almost full with the few photos you’ve taken.

“You are _very_ good at lying, aren’t you Logan?” the butler chuckles.

 _Shit_ , he saw through that one too??

“I don’t know what you mean,” you deflect.

“It’s quite alright, Logan,” he smirks. “In fact, I happen to have a spare with me today.”

And he offers you a small D.D.D.

It’s an even older model than yours, reminiscent of an early cellphone you used to have that would fold over in half, but it’s a narrow shape with a full keyboard. You were slightly worried about fitting a fullsize D.D.D. through the latticework window in the door, but this should squeeze through no problem.

Hesitantly, you accept it from the unassuming butler. It seems to already be connected to the network, ready to go.

“… This is exactly what I needed,” you observe. “And you had it ready for me. Why?”

“Let’s just say that I am interested in seeing how events unfold,” he smiles mysteriously. “Oh, and I won’t be telling Lord Diavolo about this, if you were concerned. At least, not for a little while.”

“Well… Thanks, Barbatos,” you say, eyeing him suspiciously. “Really, this is a huge favour.”

As you give him a polite wave and walk away, he hums to himself.

“You have a knack for shifting timelines off of their intended course, don’t you Logan?” he smirks.

* * *

 _‘What are you_ doing _in there?’_

The hurried human words that had been printed on his arm for thousands of years vanished last night the moment you spoke them to him.

He can’t believe he’d _ever_ thought about killing you.

That was his original plan, after all – convince you to make pacts with his six brothers in order to break the enchantment on the door, get out, and then kill you in order to bring Diavolo’s exchange program idea to an immediate halt, then go off and destroy the human world to spite their Father while the Devildom and the Celestial Realm went to war.

But all of that changed in an instant as soon as he realized how important you are to him. He’s waited his entire demon life to meet you. What were the odds that the human they chose would be…

… He _has_ to play this straight now. For _you_.

Sure, he’d been angry at first, pure frustration at the fact that his whole plan was immediately shot to the seven hells, not to mention the fact that you’re human, just as he’d been dreading for most of his life. But then he was forced to realize that you might be his _only_ shot at getting out of here, just for an entirely different reason.

Now he has to figure out what to do about Lucifer.

If he tells him that he gave you his pact, he’ll immediately think that he’s using you as a means of escape. Which isn’t _entirely_ wrong, but if he’s going to play this straight then he’s going to play this _straight_. No asking you to summon him to circumvent the door. But Lucifer would be furious nonetheless and he might even hurt you for it, so he can’t tell him that.

Should he tell him about you? He might not be able to avoid it – Lucifer will almost certainly be suspicious about his sudden change of heart.

Sighing, he sits up from the bed and tries to figure out a plan or two.

* * *

“Would you just _listen_ to me for five seconds?!” Belphegor complains angrily.

“Why should I?” Lucifer sighs, shaking his head.

“Because I _said_ I’m not-“

“I don’t believe you,” the eldest interrupts him again, checking his D.D.D. for the time. “And this argument has gone on late enough.”

Tired of his brother’s insanity, Lucifer grasps the doorknob with a hand and swings it open to leave.

“Oh, good. You fell for it – I was worried you’d notice my trap.”

He grits his teeth uneasily, unable to move his body.

“I put a curse on this side of the door – opening it was the trigger,” Belphie explains. “You’re paralyzed from head to toe, but you can still listen,” he asserts. “And you’re stuck holding the door wide open, too. But I’m not taking the easy exit because, like I just finished telling you, I want to do this _right_.”

“I’m not going to destroy the human world,” he insists. “I’m not going to hurt any humans, either. Not to spite our Father, not to ruin Diavolo’s exchange program, _never_. I’m over it now, I _swear_ it. And I want to apologize to Diavolo personally for _ever_ considering it.”

Lucifer’s body shakes off the spell, releasing the door knob and flexing his hand as the paralysis leaves him. He grits his teeth as he turns back to his youngest brother, still belligerent as ever.

“There is something you’re not saying,” he insists. “Tell me what it is. **Now**.”

“… I met Logan,” Belphegor hisses under his breath. “They’re-“

Lucifer inhales sharply, seething with rage. “ _Logan_ … They must have climbed the stairs, _against_ my orders-“

“Don’t you touch them!” Belphegor snarls, shifting into demon form and putting himself in the way. “Don’t you _ever_ touch Logan or I _swear_ I’ll _kill_ you!!”

“And why would _you_ be so insistent on the human’s safety, I wonder?” Lucifer balks. “Why the sudden insistence on doing this ‘the right way’, as you said?”

A wellspring of tears burst forth from the smaller demon, a mix of frustration and agony and loss and heartbreak pouring out all at once. All of it, thousands of years of it, displaced by a newfound shred of hope for the future.

“Because they’re my _soulmate!_ ” he cries.

* * *

You’re sandwiched between Levi and Mammon for the evening, seated on a few cushions on the floor of Levi’s room where the two boys are competing in some magical girl racing game of Levi’s. You tried playing a couple of rounds with them at first, but the boys were both very competitive and you just couldn’t keep up.

You’re spending the rest of the night right here if you can manage it. After all, Belphie should be talking to Lucifer right now. You managed to run home and slip him the phone earlier, which made you late for the after-school student council meeting, but you apologized profusely and Diavolo didn’t seem overly bothered by it, considering how out of breath you were.

That didn’t stop the tongue-lashing you got from Lucifer on the way home, though. _Whatever_ , Mr. Stick-Up-His-Ass.

Still, if Belphie is spilling the beans then he’ll probably mention that he’s met you, and Lucifer has already threatened your life (or actively endangered it) twice already. You’re not sure that you’ll survive a third strike. So you’re keeping your guardian demons close at hand, just in case he wants to flip his lid at you again.

Your D.D.D. in your lap bleeps and a light flashes on it twice, letting you know that you have a new message. You can’t open it in front of the brothers though, as they’ll definitely ask questions. Besides, you already know who it’s from.

The new message is telling you that he’s done talking with Lucifer, and that you need to find a way to avoid him for tonight.

“HAHAHAHAHA, Mammon you came in last place!” Levi cackles as his concentration breaks at the victory screen.

“Well I wouldn’ve if ya hadn’t been throwin’ bananas everywhere!!” the Avatar of Greed complains.

Your D.D.D. buzzes again with another message.

 _Crap_. That one’s probably Lucifer trying to find you.

“Mammon, can I sleep in your room tonight?” you blurt out.

“Uhhh, I guess?” he fumbles, blushing red. “I-I mean, hah, why would I want some human sleepin’ in my room, huh?”

“WH- _WHAAATT!?_ ” Levi instantly whines, sounding thoroughly betrayed. “B-But, I won the race, Logan!”

“Congratulations,” you smile at him, gently patting his arm. “But I need a place where I can actually sleep, and you just have a bathtub.”

“I mean, if- I-I could, if you-“

“Logan.”

A shiver runs up and down your back at the new voice.

“Come with me to my study for a moment,” Lucifer drawls unhappily. “We should talk.”

“… No, I don’t think so,” you insist, hooking your arms around the arms of your pact boys on either side of you.

“Uhh, Logan?” Mammon asks, flustered and confused. “What’s the matter?”

“That **wasn’t** a request,” Lucifer insists darkly.

“I’m not going anywhere with you alone,” you fire back.

“Mammon, Leviathan, leave us,” he orders.

Both of the boys shuffle out of their seats to leave.

“Don’t wreck any of my stuff-” Levi starts.

“ **Mammon, Levi!** ”

They both stop what they’re doing, forced by the pacts you have over them into obedience.

“C’mon, Logan! I don’t know what Lucifer wants, but I _know_ I don’t wanna be caught up in it!” Mammon complains.

“ **Don’t leave me alone tonight. That’s an order,** ” you pact them. “Sorry to do it this way you guys, but I’m feeling like my personal safety is at stake here, and I already _said_ I am not going to be alone with him, _period_.”

“Damnit…” Levi sobs.

Lucifer grits his teeth, even more obviously angry than before. But even his magic can’t override your pacts with his two brothers.

“… **Fine** ,” he laments grumpily. “Have it your way then. I’ll see you tomorrow, Logan.”

“I’m sure I won’t,” you insist, gritting your teeth.

* * *

 **You**  
Belphie I’m not sure I can keep this up.

 **You**  
It’s been weeks. Talking to Lucifer obviously isn’t working, and I can’t dodge him forever.

 **Belphegor**  
I know. I didn’t think it would be this difficult.

 **You**  
I’m going to try something stupid.

 **Belphegor**  
Run it by me first?

 **You**  
Diavolo is coming over for a meeting with him today. I can corner them both.

 **Belphegor**  
You’re right, that is stupid.

 **Belphegor**  
Don’t do it. I don’t trust Diavolo.

 **You**  
Well it’s that or keep dragging Mammon and Levi around everywhere with me!

 **You**  
I know you said not to pact summon you but I’m honestly tempted.

 **Belphegor**  
Logan please. Don’t put yourself in danger for me. We can figure something else out.

 **You**  
No, I’m tired of this.

 **You**  
Lucifer is being a coward.

 **Belphegor  
** Hilarious, but…

 **Belphegor**  
How do you figure?

 **You  
** He doesn’t want to resolve this because he’s afraid of how your brothers are going to react.

 **You**  
But they deserve to know, and you deserve your freedom.

 **You**  
And I’m sick of him trying to corner me so he can threaten my life or whatever.

 **You**  
Look, Diavolo won’t hurt me, and once I get the chance to explain I’m sure I can convince him to get Lucifer to let you out of there.

 **Belphegor**  
Please just be safe. Whatever you do.

 **Belphegor**  
I can’t lose you.

 **You  
** …

 **You**  
*That* seems like a weirdly intimate thing to say…

 **Belphegor**  
It’s true though. You’re the only person who knows I’m up here.

 **Belphegor  
** So, just be careful. Okay?

 **You**  
… Okay.

 **You**  
I at *least* need to resolve this so I can stop crashing in Mammon’s bed every night. He’s such a clingy sleeper.

 **Belphegor**  
… Excuse me?

 **Belphegor**  
What??

* * *

“You’re sure you saw Diavolo go into the study?”

“Yeah, like five minutes ago,” Mammon complains. “Why’d ya want me watchin’ for that guy anyways?”

“And he’s _still_ in there??” you demand.

“I think so-“

“Do you _know_ that for _sure?_ ”

“I ain’t seen ‘im _leave_ at least!” he grits his teeth. “Why’re ya chasing him down? Logan, you’ve been askin’ me to do a _lot_ that doesn’t make much sense lately-“

You grip him by his shoulders and let your head fall against his chest.

“Uh-uhh, L-Logan?” he stammers, flustered by your proximity.

“Wait out here in the library for me please,” you ask him. “This is the last thing I’ll ask you to do for a little while.”

“Logan, I don’t-“

“Please. I need your support, Mammon,” you plead.

You look up at him and he glances away, blushing.

“Fine,” he grumbles. “But this is the last thing I do for ya! Don’t ever ask me for nothin’ else!”

“Thank you!”

You quickly duck in and smooch his cheek as he makes a frustrated noise, then scramble into the open door to the secret study. Diavolo is still in here talking to Lucifer, _thank goodness_ , but they both stop mid-sentence as you rush into the room with them.

“Logan?” Diavolo blinks. “I’m sorry, but if there is something you need can it wait? We were in the middle of a private conversation-“

“I’m sorry Lord Diavolo,” you say, turning and hitting the switch to close the door to the study. “But I need you here for this. It won’t take more than a minute of your time.”

“Logan, what **exactly** do you think you are you doing?” Lucifer grumbles.

As soon as the door clicks shut, you face the two demons and muster up every ounce of courage you have to spare.

“I talked to Belphie,” you announce, making eye contact with Diavolo.

“Logan-!” Lucifer snarls.

“He’s been trapped in the attic since before the school year started – Lucifer locked him up in there because he opposed your exchange program and told everyone that he sent him to the human world,” you ramble off, shaking as it spills out of you. “But he wants to apologize to you and try to make up for what he did!”

“ ** _LOGAN!!_** ”

Oh shit, Lucifer’s shifted into his demon form. You reflexively stagger back a step as he lunges at you.

But Diavolo’s hand catches his shoulder before he can. He’s also shifted into is demon form.

“I want to hear what Logan has to say,” he says firmly. “Logan, do you understand the reason why he was imprisoned in the first place?”

“Yes, he told me everything,” you nod, feeling yourself relax slightly. You knew Diavolo would hold him back. “Belphegor was violently opposed to the exchange program because he’s hated humans ever since the war, and admitted that his original plan was to use me to escape, kill me, and then go destroy the human world out of revenge for his sister dying. But now he insists that isn’t the case, that he’s changed his mind about it, and swears up and down that he won’t hurt me nor any other humans.”

“He told you about Lilith?” Lucifer asks, stunned.

“And do you believe him?” Diavolo asks calmly. “Do you trust that he has changed?”

“Honestly, I don’t know about that yet,” you admit. “But he _seems_ really earnest, and he even gave me his pact to try to prove it to me.”

“… He gave you his _pact?!_ ” Lucifer stammers in disbelief.

“With his pact you might have been able to summon him out yourself,” Diavolo observes, releasing Lucifer’s shoulder and folding his arms. “Why go through all of this just to argue his case for him?”

“Because he asked me not to, because he insists that he do this the right way,” you tell him. “He wants to talk to you directly and apologize to you.”

“And why involve me in any of this, Logan?” the Prince questions. “This seems like primarily a family issue.”

“I’m sorry Lord Diavolo, but Lucifer wasn’t going to budge unless I took this issue right to his boss. That and none of his brothers seem to know, so I think he’s reluctant to free him because it would mean admitting that he’s been keeping Belphie prisoner all this time. Besides,” you add with a smirk. “I assumed that you must already know about the whole thing. He would have had to lie to you about it, and I know you can always tell when someone is lying or not.”

Lucifer seems to go several shades whiter, while Diavolo bursts out into laughter.

“Your assumption is correct,” he reveals. “And I can tell that you have been honest with me throughout this conversation. Very well, then,” he nods. “Lucifer, I think you and I are overdue for a visit to the attic room, are we not?”

The Avatar of Pride has a thoroughly cowed expression on his face.

“… If My Lord would like to follow me…” he grumbles, stalking towards the half-staircase up where you are as you turn and hit the switch for the door again.

You race out of the room ahead of them and pounce on Mammon in another hug.

“Oi! What did you do in there?!” he complains, wrapping his arms around you and squeezing you against his chest. “I heard Lucifer yell your name real loud. So, you didn’t die??”

“No, thank everything,” you breathe shakily, glancing behind you as the other two demons pass by. “I think things might be okay now. At least, I _hope_ so.”

* * *

“My _hero_.”

“ _Stop_ that,” you grumble at the sleepy demon. “I may have gotten you out of that attic but that doesn’t mean I’m going to bail you out of doing your homework.”

“Aww,” Belphie whines, nudging his workbook your way. “But it’s not _my_ fault I’m so far behind on all my classes.”

“No, you’re right. It’s _Lucifer’s_ fault,” you grin. “So go bother _him_ to be your study partner.”

“You know he hasn’t left the study in a week, not after Beel nearly ripped his wings off for keeping me prisoner,” he frowns.

That’s right – there was a _lot_ of drama surrounding Belphie’s return, most of which fell on Lucifer’s head. The boys had gotten angry and everyone almost came to blows, but you had to jump in and explain everything to them again while Belphie assured them all of your safety.

“… Maybe I should go talk to him,” you consider.

“I don’t think that’s safe,” he shakes his head. “You _know_ how he is – he resents you for putting him into that position in the first place.”

“Well _someone_ had to!” you bark back.

“I know, I know,” he sighs, then chuckles as he nudges your shoulder with his head again. “And I really appreciate it. Say, how much of Devildom have you seen so far?”

“Not much, since I need to be escorted everywhere and Mammon’s the only one who will go, and it turns out that he’s banned from most places,” you huff.

“I need a break,” he says, climbing to his feet and offering his hand for yours. “So I’m going to go for a walk. Come with me?”

“ _Now??_ ” you blink. “Belphie, we have a huge test tomorrow and you have a month’s work of homework still to do.”

“I’ve always tested well,” he shrugs nonchalantly. “And my homework’s already late.”

“Well, what about _me?_ ” you grumble.

“I’ll help you study when we get back,” he grins. “Come on, please?”

He’s been trying to find opportunities to get you alone, you understand, since he wants to prove to you that you can trust him since you’re still very much on the fence about it, given everything that he confessed to you that first night you met.

… But, _Hells_ with it, you’ve done _much_ riskier stuff since then, haven’t you?

“… Alright,” you roll your eyes, taking his hand and standing from the floor of your room. “It’s not too late yet, I can spare an hour I guess.”

“Awesome,” he smiles. “It’s a date.”

You hesitate at that. “… A _date?_ Really?”

“Why not?” he says casually, keeping your fingers gripped in his. “You’re cute, you saved me from being a prisoner in the attic, and I want to have a walking date with you. Is that a crime?”

“… Belphie,” you say sternly. “Did you change your mind about the whole ‘destroying the human world’ thing _just_ because you wanted to go on a date with me?”

“What? No,” he grins.

“ _Belphie_.”

“Maybe a little.”

“Oh my _gods_.”

* * *

It wasn’t until you got to the market that Belphegor realized a problem with this idea.

“Shit…” he mutters under his breath. _I don’t have any money._

“Something wrong?” you ask.

“It’s fine,” he smiles, squeezing your hand gently where he’s still holding onto it. “Say, I haven’t really asked before now but, how are you handling things in the Devildom anyways?”

“I mean, it’s okay I guess?” you shrug nonchalantly. “No one really bothers me unless I’m caught all alone, and even then they usually don’t do anything because they’re afraid of your brothers and Diavolo.”

“What have you been doing for money then?” he asks plainly.

“Oh, sometimes when the guys work part-time jobs they split their tips with me,” you shrug.

“Really?” he says, chuckling. “That’s amazing. You’re a genius, Logan. How did you ever get them to agree to that?”

“Hey, they _offered!_ It wasn’t like I _forced_ them!” you complain.

Well, at least _one_ of you might have some spending money, he thinks. But he’s not about to ask you to spend it on the date he asked you on. That would be rude.

“Pacts over two of my brothers and you already had them all working for you before we even met,” he smirks. “You’re something special all right.”

As you’re walking down the boulevard, he spies a small souvenier shop you might like. “Hey, come here for a second,” he says, gently pulling you along by your hand.

“Hmm?”

You’re pulled into the store by Belphegor, then he circles around you and grips both your hands firmly at your sides from behind you as you take stock of the cluttered little shop.

“I wanted you to look around in here with me,” he says from behind you. “But don’t actually _touch_ anything, okay?”

“Why not?”

“Everything in here is enchanted – if you pick it up to look at it then you’ll be compelled to buy it. If you like something, just point it out to me, okay?”

“If we’re not here to buy anything, then why are we in here?”

“I want to know what kinds of things you like,” he grins as he comes back around you. “And if you like something a _lot_ , you might find it on your nightstand later on.”

Once he’s had a chance to earn some money, that is.

“Belphie,” you fluster. “I don’t really need anything.”

“Come on, humour me?” he pleads.

You roll your eyes dramatically. “Alright, alright.”

He holds your hand as you take a look around the shop. You furrow your brows almost instantly.

“Something wrong?” he asks.

“This is all human world stuff, isn’t it?” you ask. “I figured it would be all demon stuff, but this is like… It feels like looking through a yard sale back home.”

You reach out to touch a painted ceramic plate until he tugs on your hand to stop you, then your free hand goes to touch your chin in thought instead.

“Do you like that?” he asks.

“No. Actually, I think my mom has that one,” you think, pointing at it. “I can’t remember, but it _looks_ very ‘Little House on the Prairie’-like.”

He laughs at that. “That’s so interesting. Anything else you recognize?”

You hum, looking all around. “That plastic helmet?” you point. “That’s from an exclusive special edition set of a video game.”

“You like video games, huh?” he observes.

“Not as much as Levi, but, yeah.”

“Well, _no one_ likes video games as much as he does,” he chuckles. “Have you been to Anidaemon?”

“Once to line up for something with Levi. I didn’t really get to look around,” you explain.

“Let’s spend five more minutes here, and then we’ll go there next to browse, okay?”

* * *

You found a game to try out together at Anidaemon so you went ahead and bought it, then he took you to a small market where you picked up a couple of things you needed. But once you were done in the last store, and your hour was almost up, it had suddenly started raining. The two of you just managed to retreat under an overhang before your clothes got soaked through.

“It’s a downpour,” he sighs.

“Maybe we should have checked the weather before we left?” you suggest. “Although I’ve never actually seen it rain down here before.”

“If it’s raining like this, it might not stop for days,” he reveals.

“So, what’s the plan, then? Take a cab?”

He turns to you, looking you over and apparently sizing you up. Then he sets down the shopping bags and takes off his long sweater, offering it to you. He’s just wearing a white longsleeve shirt underneath and you instantly wonder how he plans to not get soaked.

“… Okay, that might help keep _me_ dry, but what about you?” you ask, taking it.

“That’s easy. You’re going to climb onto my back with this on, and it’ll help keep us both dry,” he grins.

You blink, pulling it on and pulling the hood up. The thing is a bit big on you and the hood flops over into your eyes. He laughs at that as you try and find your hands again in the sleeves.

“You’ll have to hang on to these,” he says, offering you the two small shopping bags. “And… One other thing.”

“Yeah?”

“You haven’t seen me in demon form yet, have you?” he asks, a serious look on his face.

Oh, right. “No, not yet.”

“I plan to run so we don’t get as soaked – my sweater will protect our clothes for a bit but it’s really coming down – and I’ll be faster and more agile in my demon form,” he explains.

Is he worried about how you’ll react? “I’m okay,” you reassure him. “I mean, I’ve seen a couple of your brothers in demon form already.”

“Really? Which ones?” he asks.

“Lucifer, Leviathan, Satan, Asmo… Not Beel, and not Mammon either,” you think.

“Hmm. I’ll have to talk to them about that,” he grumbles. “Anyways, you ready?”

“Ready,” you nod.

His horns almost imperceptibly slip into view – massive black curled ram horns on either side of his head – and a long black tail trails out behind him with a large tuft of rough fur at the end.

“Are you okay?” he asks cautiously.

“… Your horns are cute,” you mumble quietly into a hand.

You _kind_ of want to reach out and trace them, but would that be appropriate? Also, it occurs to you that he’s not only the first demon to ask for your permission before showing you his demon form, but he’s also the first to not do it to attack or threaten you.

“What?” he asks, half-shouting over the din of the pouring rain.

“Nothing!” you deflect. “I’m ready to go if you are.”

“Okay, hop on!” he directs.

He turns and crouches slightly while you climb uncertainly onto his back, hugging him around his shoulders as he lifts you up easily. He’s not much bigger than you are, so it’s easy to forget just how strong he is sometimes.

“You might want to close your eyes,” he says. “Because I’m about to run _very_ fast.”

You do as you’re told, burying your face into the back of his neck as you hang on for dear life.

It’s no time at all before he has you hop down and ushers you into the front entryway of the House of Lamentation. He shuts the door behind you to keep the torrential downpour at bay while you kick off your shoes and start unbuttoning yourself out of his sweater.

Once you turn around to face him it’s obvious that he’s _much_ more soaked than you are. He crouches down to untie his boots and upturns them, spilling water out on the tile floor before resting them like that against the wall. His hair is completely soaked and sticking to his face with trails of water dripping down, his jeans are sticking to his legs at the front, and when he straightens from the floor his shirt…

… Oh _no_.

White shirt plus water equals _abs_. He may not be as buff or as broad as his twin, but he has been hiding a _chiseled_ athletic build under those baggy comfort clothes of his.

“See something you like?” he smirks at your agape expression.

“I mean, it’s nothing. I’m fine.”

You glance away as you try to pretend you’re not flustered, folding his long sweater in half and then twist it and squeeze, wringing it out of a small puddle of water that drips onto the floor. He laughs at that.

You go to offer it back to him only to find him offering you his soaked through shirt, meaning he’s now bare from the waist up. “Mind doing that with this too?” he smiles.

You forget how words work as you steal another glance at his body, gingerly accepting his shirt and mechanically wringing it out for him. Damn him, he did that on _purpose_.

“Did you two go _swimming_ in it or something?” Asmo calls from nearby. “Why are you both dripping everywhere? That’s making _such_ a mess of the foyer!”

“I’ll get the mop,” Belphie shrugs, turning towards him.

Asmo narrows his eyes at his brother. “Belphie, what happened to your- Oh,” he gasps. “ _Oh!!_ ”

You look between the two of them, startled by Asmo’s reaction. “What?”

“It’s nothing,” Belphie grins, pulling you into his side by your shoulders. “Right Asmo?”

Asmo seems ridiculously flustered by something, fluttering his arms and bouncing in place.

“Oh my- I didn’t know that- Can I tell the others??” he pleads.

“Mmn… _Fine_ ,” Belphie grumbles.

The Avatar of Lust squeals before he giddily scurries away, while you fix Belphie with a look.

“What?” he asks innocently.

“What was _that_ about?”

“Nothing, don’t worry about it.”

“Didn’t seem like nothing.”

“Don’t we have some homework to get back to?” he smirks, taking his wrung out shirt back from you.

* * *

You set the bag down on his desk.

“… What is this?” he asks.

“A peace offering, I guess,” you shrug. “Belphie said that these poison princess apples are your favourite.”

Lucifer straightens from his paperwork and sets his dip pen down in the stand at his left side. “They are,” he admits, opening the bag and looking them over, his face betraying no readable emotion.

An uneasy silence falls between the two of you. You fold your arms and fidget while you try and think of what to say.

“… Look,” you finally huff. “I’m sorry for getting in the middle of your family feud. I know I overstepped by a _lot_ , especially when I got Lord Diavolo involved. But, I’m also _not_ sorry that I did it,” you explain. “I understand how bad things could have been, really I do, but you _also_ have to understand that it’s unacceptable to me to just stand idly by when someone needs help. I don’t follow _orders_ like that – I follow my convictions _first_.”

He folds his own arms and leans back in his chair, his crimson eyes looking past you as he thinks it over.

“And,” you add. “I don’t want us to keep dancing around each other forever. So, I want to see you at the breakfast table in the morning, okay?”

He seems surprised to hear you say that. “I am not sure my brothers will want me there,” he frowns.

“I’ll deal with them,” you smile. “If I can handle _you_ , I can handle any one of them, too.”

That makes him crack a smile. “All right, then I will make a point to attend.”

“That’s all I needed to hear,” you grin. “See you tomorrow then!”

You turn to climb the half-stair up to the doorway out of the study.

“… Logan?” Lucifer calls out.

You stop and turn to face him, leaning against the railing. “Yeah?”

“… Thank you.”

You get the sense that he’s not _just_ talking about the poison apples. Flashing him a smile, you leave him to his work.

* * *

Your relationship with Belphie seems to progress faster than either of your relationships with Mammon or Levi, both of whom you were dating casually before his release. In fact, both of them seem to almost avoid you now, although when you ask them about it, they insist that there’s nothing wrong. With Belphie though, you never have to try and translate what he’s saying – he’s always very direct about what he wants. Dating him is just so relaxed, and so _easy_.

And everyone else seems to be aware of your developing relationship together too, as suddenly the rest of the brothers are keeping their distance, but are congratulatory towards the two of you. Beel even gave you his pact out of the blue, though you’re still not sure why.

News of your relationship seems to not just be limited to the brothers, either.

“As for Logan,” Diavolo smiles. “You will share a room with Belphegor.”

“… That’s it?” you blink. “Not that I’m complaining, but, I can’t help but notice that almost everyone else was grouped in threes.”

You’ve just come to the castle with everyone for the school retreat thing Diavolo insisted on last student council meeting, and those were your room arrangements apparently.

“I don’t mind,” Belphie grins. “How about you?”

“I mean… No, not really?” you hesitate. “I don’t really mind either. But, if we’re all supposed to be getting to know each other better, then-”

“Lord Diavolo, I request permission to be moved to Logan and Belphegor’s room!” Luke blurts out. “I don’t think Logan should be alone with that demon!”

“Ah, I’m afraid these arrangements are final,” Diavolo says mournfully.

“Additionally,” Barbatos adds. “The room reserved for them does not have enough beds to accommodate you.”

“But-! But-” Luke flusters, clenching his small fists in righteous indignation.

“Don’t worry Luke, I’m sure that Logan will be fine. You know that Lord Diavolo wouldn’t let anything happen to them, right?” Simeon attempts to pacify the shorter angel.

“Simeon! Not you too!” he complains.

After a little more argument and debate over room assignments, Barbatos escorts each group to their rooms. You and Belphie are taken down a longer hallway away from the rest of the guest rooms, and as he opens the door for you, your suspicions are confirmed.

“… Were the rose petals _really_ necessary?” you groan.

**Meanwhile, in another part of the castle…**

“Lord Diavolo,” Lucifer frowns, setting down his bag on the cot set out for him in the Demon Lord’s chambers. “May I ask what your intentions are in sending Logan and Belphegor off to room together? Alone?”

“Isn’t it obvious, Lucifer?” Diavolo grins, a wicked giddiness flashing across his golden eyes. “What better way for them to grow closer in their relationship than to provide them a room with only _one bed?_ ”

* * *

“I’m sorry, I’m just not sure I’m ready for a serious relationship again.”

That’s obviously not the answer Belphie wanted to hear when he asked about your relationship together. He seems hurt that you would reject him like that. “Why not?”

“Oh gods, so _many_ reasons?” you sigh, rolling onto your back to avoid his pained expression. You hold out your hand above yourself and count them off. “I’ve already had _two_ long relationships with crap guys, almost married one and _that_ ended in disaster, I’m not really able to stay in the Devildom for forever anyways, I’m not sure how a relationship with a demon is supposed to work – no offense, I just don’t know if there’s anything different about it – and I’m… Not even really sure I know what I even _want_ in a relationship anymore.”

“I think you’re overthinking again,” he smirks, rolling onto his stomach and leaning into his hand as he looks at you.

“Well, maybe _one_ of us should,” you tease him. “What do you want? I mean, why even _ask_ me that, when you know I’m just going to be sent home in a few months anyways?”

“I was thinking I could go with you, or try to find a way to keep you here,” he admits, flicking his tail playfully behind him.

He’s relaxed in his demon form after explaining that it’s harder to maintain the glamour that hides his tail and horns as he sleeps, and you don’t really mind it anyways. In spite of his confession the first night you met, you’ve never felt threatened by him, and it’s always nice to see him be comfortable in his natural form around you.

“Do you really think that’s possible?” you ask.

“I’ll figure something out. Either way though, you’re not getting rid of me that easy,” he grins mischievously.

“Well, what about the fact that I’m human?” you insist. “You’re _thousands_ of years old, Belphie, and I’m… I’m just not going to live as long as you are.”

He frowns at that. “I wasn’t really thinking of that, but…” he trails off, looking upwards. “… Yeah, there are ways to extend your life through magic, if you want to.”

“It kind of seems like you haven’t thought this through at all,” you frown.

“I know one thing I want for sure.”

“What?”

“You.”

You roll your eyes and hit him softly in the face with a pillow while he laughs.

“ _Why_ though?” you demand.

“Why _not?_ ”

“That’s not an answer.”

“Sure it is.”

You sigh. “Belphie, what do you really want from me?” you finally ask, exasperated. “What are you looking for?”

“ _Geez_ you’re frustrating sometimes,” he grumbles, taking the pillow and sending it flying across the room, then rolls on top of you, kneeling with one of his knees between yours and his hands pressed into the mattress on either side of you. “Does there _have_ to be some grand reason for me to want you? I can’t just like you for you and who you are?”

You blink, stumbling a bit at his bluntness. “I mean-”

“You’re so cute,” he compliments you, ducking down to kiss your cheek. “You’re smart, you’re fun to talk to, and even _more_ fun to tease. I like hearing you talk about the nerdy stuff you’re into, the way you stroke my hair as I go to sleep, the way you’re always there for me, and I want to be there for you too, any way I can be. I’m just… I’m so crazy about you that I can’t stand it sometimes.”

Each bit of praise is punctuated with a kiss somewhere on your face – your brow, your jaw, your earlobe, the middle of your forehead… The last one is placed at the corner of your mouth and he lingers for a moment, before he slowly draws away and opens his eyes.

“… Why wouldn’t I want you when you’re everything I need?” he asks in a low voice.

Flustered out of your mind right now, you cover your face with your hands. “Belphie…”

He chuckles as he sits back, taking your hands from your face and lacing his fingers between yours, gently pressing them against the bed on either side of you.

“I want you, Logan,” he repeats seriously, his jewel-like eyes shining down at you in the lantern light as his tail flits playfully back and forth behind him. “I want you more than you even know.”

Then he leans down and places a kiss… On your eyebrow.

“ _Hmm_ ,” he says pensively, kissing your other brow. “I think I’m bad at this,” he suggests, kissing the end of your nose. “My aim must be off or something.” A kiss to your temple. “You know, you _might_ have to help me out here, or we could be here all night.”

“Oh my _gods_ ,” you roll your eyes, shaking off his grip and grabbing his horns in each hand, freezing him in place. “ _Here_.”

You pull him down and kiss him, and it feels so, _so_ right.

* * *

You fall away from each other, panting heavily and covered in sweat as your toes curl in ecstasy.

“ _Belphie_ …” you breathe. “Oh my _gods_ , that was _incredible_ …”

You had gotten caught in the rain while out shopping again, this time too far away from home to make a run for it, so you had booked into a hotel for the night. It was late anyways, plus it was an opportunity to spend some time alone together away from the House of Lamentation. Belphie playfully suggested that you take a shower together, and between his constant teasing and the intimate environment, one thing had led to another.

He laughs warmly as he rests on his back, arms folded above his head. “We need to do that more often,” he grins impishly, eyes closed as he takes a couple deep breaths. You roll into his side and his arms come around you to hold you against him automatically. “Mmmn, so _that’s_ what sex with your soulmate is like…” he trails off dreamily.

You had just moved your hand to trace his spots on his neck when you realize what he just said. Immediately you sit up on your side. “Excuse me, _what?_ ”

His eyes snap open as _he_ realizes what he just said.

“Uhh… Nevermind?” he tries.

“Belphie, since when are we soulmates?” you charge him. “Why would you even say something like that?”

He rolls onto his side to face you, pulling his arms into his chest and frowning, his tail thumping the mattress behind him. “… Honestly I wasn’t sure I would ever tell you,” he admits in a small voice.

“But I mean, that’s _impossible_ , isn’t it?” you frown. “You’re a demon and I’m a human.”

“It’s not impossible,” he sighs softly. “Look, when did your mark disappear? You had one, right?”

You blink. “I don’t remember,” you admit. “It was shortly after I got here. I never even knew what it said.”

“Well, mine disappeared the night you found me,” he says carefully. “When I was stuck in the attic room.”

“… Seven _Hells_ ,” you curse. “Is _that_ why you started acting so crazy?”

“This is why I wasn’t sure I’d tell you,” he confesses. “I was, a _mess_ , that night…”

He pulls you into his chest and curls his body around yours, panicked and even trembling slightly. His tail wraps around your legs behind your knees and he’s careful to tilt his head so his horns don’t poke into the side of your head.

“Don’t leave me over this,” he mutters in your ear. “Please?”

“Baby, I’m _not_ going to leave you,” you say, tenderly wrapping your arms around him and rubbing his back. “I just don’t understand. With everything you told me that night…”

“I know, I know,” he mumbles.

“… Start from the beginning?” you prompt him gently.

“… I knew I couldn’t go through with it, once I met you,” he begins. “I had waited over five thousand years just to meet you, you know? How _horrible_ would it be, to wait so long to meet my one and only soulmate, just to… To _use_ them and throw them away like that?? I couldn’t do it. I hated myself for considering it in the first place. I thought that, maybe you were a sign… That maybe I might actually deserve forgiveness for what I tried to do, that I might still have a chance at a shred of happiness in my life.”

“… You did it all, just for _me?_ ” you ask.

He nods into your hair.

“I’m sorry, Logan…”

“Stop apologizing,” you scold him. “I mean, it makes a _lot_ more sense now, why you came clean and were _desperate_ to make amends so you could get out of there.”

He nods again, and you move to take his face in your hands. His come up over yours as you wipe away his tears with your thumbs, shushing him softly.

“… I’m glad you told me in the end,” you smile.

“I’m glad you found me,” he smiles back.

You lean in and kiss him tenderly on the lips, melting into each other for a prolonged, perfect moment.

“… So, did _everyone_ else know we were soulmates or something?” you ask when you pull away.

He chuckles at that. “I told Lucifer, Lucifer told Diavolo, and Asmo figured it out when he saw me shirtless that day we came in from the rain. He told the rest of my brothers.”

“No _wonder_ Mammon and Levi both broke up with me,” you sigh.

“… I _might_ have gone and told them they weren’t allowed to date you anymore,” he admits.

“ _Brat_ ,” you say, booping his nose.

“No dating my brothers, least of all _those_ two,” he grumbles, rolling you onto your back and climbing on top of you. “You’re _my_ soulmate, so you’re mine now and forever.”

The way he’s trailing his hand up your side and chest, you get the sense that you’re not done fooling around here tonight.

“I thought you might want to wait a bit longer before round two?” you suggest heatedly.

“Checkout’s tomorrow at ten AM, so I’ve got you all to myself until then,” he grins wolfishly. “I don’t want to waste a single minute.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Whew._ I wanted Belphie to maintain his slightly obsessive/yandere nature, while also being way less calm & collected and more erratic than Diavolo, plus having to figure out how to get him out of that room amicably & early enough was a chore. Well, finally, here it is. If anybody needs me I'll be taking a cold, cold shower x.x;;


	3. Mammon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Genderfluid representation for this one, so in some parts Logan will be referred to as he/him and others will be she/her.
> 
> **Trigger warnings: Graphic depictions of violence and major character death in this chapter - it starts at "Your breath catches".** It also just kind of works out at the end? Much like in the game, if you pick up what I'm putting down ;P (Read; This has a happy ending don't worry)

The hurried chicken-scratch scrawl on your forearm defied translation all your life, but if there’s one thing for certain, it’s that whoever your soulmate is, he apparently has a _lot_ to say about it upon your first meeting. After meeting so many people of so few words, and even attempting to date a couple men of even fewer, you gave up on the idea of ever meeting whoever your soulmate is supposed to be ages ago.

For Mammon, the words had plagued him his entire demon life. Angels didn’t get the words of their soulmates inscribed into their arms, but demons did, so he’s had them ever since his fall, and the strangely human words were no less mocking of him than his so-called brothers his entire immortal life. Mammon wasn’t sure he ever wanted to meet the person that would say them to him, even if they were supposed to be the one person he’d find love and true happiness with.

* * *

He burst into the room so abruptly that he might as well have been trying to escape a blazing inferno, irritated that his latest scheme to swindle some unsuspecting demons out of their hard-earned Grimm was interrupted by that phone call. He’d known about the meeting of course, about how Lucifer wanted him to be there to welcome the new human exchange student, but he’d been busy! And why should _he_ care about some human dumb enough to get dragged down to the Devildom for Diavolo’s crazy exchange program idea?

“HEY!” he demanded, marching right up to you, the stupid human standing with demons on all sides. “Just **who** do you think you are, human? You’ve got a lotta nerve summoning the Great Mammon!”

“Mammon-,“ Lucifer attempts, but the Avatar of Greed continues his tirade.

“Listen up, because I’m only gonna say this once; If you value your life, then you’ll hand over all of your money now! And anything else of value too!” he continues, glaring down at you. He might as well get _something_ for his trouble, he figures. “Otherwise I’ll wipe that stupid, happy-go-lucky look right off of your face… By eatin’ you! Startin’ at your head and working my way down, until-“

“Mammon, shut up or I’ll punch you!” Lucifer curses, then strikes the back of his head.

“GAHH, _OW!_ ” he complains, stepping away from you and his older brother both. “Hey, what’s the big idea?! I thought you were actually gonna give me a _chance_ to shut up before punching me!”

All eyes seem to land on you next, as if checking to see if his attempt at intimidating you has had any effect. Much to his dismay however, your expression is less frightened and more… Disappointed?

You seem to glance him over, sizing him up.

“Any chance I can trade him in?” you ask jokingly, glancing between him and his eldest brother with a cheeky nod towards him.

The Great Mammon’s next words die in his throat, unable to speak even as he wants to scream at the indecency of it all.

He knew this day would come, after all. He always knew this would happen, ever since his fall.

 _I’ve just met my soulmate,_ he realizes. _And… And she doesn’t want me at all!_

It takes an extra second for him to snap back to reality to Asmo’s uproarious laughter.

“What’s wrong with him all of a sudden?” you ask, pointing unsurely at the Avatar of Lust, who is leaned against an unwilling Satan’s shoulder, wiping tears from his eyes.

“I’m not entirely sure myself,” Lucifer sighs. “In any case, Mammon; You will see to all of this human’s needs during the whole exchange. I expect your full cooperation.”

He swallows hard, trying to fight the dreadful knot buried deep in his gut. He remembers that his uniform sleeves are rolled up to his elbows suddenly, attempting to discretely pull them down.

“… Fine,” he grumbles so quietly that you almost aren’t able to hear him.

“… _Really?_ ” you ask, glancing between him and Lucifer again. “This guy just said he wanted to _eat_ me and you’re putting him in charge of me??”

“He knows he doesn’t have much of a choice,” Lucifer grins proudly. “Although, I _did_ anticipate some more resistance from him…” he adds thoughtfully after a moment.

“C’mon, human,” Mammon sighs, turning and sauntering away. “Don’t slow me down, alright?”

* * *

“I think he hates me or something.”

“Oh, don’t be _silly!_ ” Asmo gently scolds you as he does your nails late one evening. “Mammon is just… Bad at expressing his feelings, you know?”

“He looks at me like he resents my whole existence,” you frown. “And while yeah, he gave me his pact, that was all Levi’s idea in the first place. I don’t think he even really wanted to.”

“I’m sure he did. Listen – there’s a word that Levi uses for guys like him – ‘tsundere’, I think it is?” he hums.

“And what does _that_ mean?”

“Hmm, it’s like,” Asmo pauses, idly tapping a nail against the bottle of polish as he thinks. “It’s sort of like, he’s in open denial about how he feels. _But_ , the more he protests, the more he likes you.”

“… That’s dumb.”

“Well, that’s Mammon for you, ahahaha~!”

* * *

“ _Ugh_ , why do ya have to be havin’ a boy day again?” he complains one evening, stretched out on your bed next to you as you study.

You roll your eyes. “Don’t you have your own homework to do?”

“I’ll do it later,” he complains dismissively. “Anyways. Why not just wear a dress every day? You look much cuter in that short pink thing ya bought recently.”

You blink. You absently close your workbook and set it aside as you process what he just said.

“… You think I’m cute?”

He jerks uneasily. “N- _No!?_ ”

“But that’s what you just said,” you grin, facing him more fully.

“Shut up, human,” he sneers. “I didn’t say nothin’ like that!”

“Pretty sure that’s what I heard.”

“Well, then get your hearin’ checked!”

“I’m sure I won’t,” you grin.

He gets up off your bed as if to storm out. You jog to catch up to him and block him at the door.

“Whaddaya think you’re _doin’!?_ ” he blusters, sounding infinitely annoyed that you would actually have the balls to stop him from leaving.

“Just this,” you say, taking his hand in yours.

Then you kiss his palm.

It has the desired effect, as his ears go red and he sputters, leaning against the doorframe as his knees get weak. His face lights up in a blush too, and you’re almost certain by now that he wears those tinted sunglasses to better hide his face when he gets flustered.

“I think you’re cute too,” you grin at him.

* * *

“Soo, when are you going to take me out on a _real_ date?”

He jerks in surprise at your bold comment. “What??”

“You’re always inviting me on these schemes of yours that, honestly, don’t usually work out very well?” you observe. “But we haven’t actually like, gone on a _real_ date yet, even though it’s pretty obvious that you want to ask me.”

“Sh-Shut up, no I don’t!” he predictably protests.

“Should I ask someone else out, then?” you frown, tucking your hair behind your ear and looking up at him shyly. “I know that Asmo would probably be interested, he’s always talking about taking me to The Fall or these cute little cafes. _Oh_ , or I could probably ask Diavolo-”

He grabs your arm and starts pulling you in a direction.

“Wh- Mammon, where are you taking me?!” you whine, trying to take your arm back. While he’s not squeezing you hard or in any way that would hurt you, his grip is virtually unbreakable.

“Dinner.”

You blink. “Really?”

“Don’t make a big thing of it, human,” he grumbles. “And no askin’ out my brother or Diavolo either! In fact, you better not ask anyone else out when you’re with me. Got it??”

“So… We’re on a date then? _Officially?_ ”

“Grr… Yeah, _fine_. And you’re buyin’!”

* * *

“You can pick _locks!?_ ”

“Announce it to the Nine _Hells_ why don’t you,” you hiss a whisper, working a pair of bobby pins on front door of the House of Lamentation. “I can’t believe you lost your key on our date. Isn’t Lucifer going to be furious with you for that? This lock is so goddamn old and clunky, when was the last time it was even changed?”

“Yeah, but…” he trails off. “Logan, ya never told me you can pick locks!”

“It’s _supposed_ to be a _secret_ ,” you curse. And why is the Devildom so goddamn cold? Isn’t it a desert? Then again, it’s also always nighttime. What a night to have gone out in a thin dress with nothing to cover your arms or neck…

“What made you wanna learn how to do _that?_ ” he asks, genuinely curious.

“My best friend was studying to be a locksmith a while back, so we swapped his study materials and I got interested,” you shrug. “I understand the _theory_ behind it, but it’s not exactly something I have a lot of _practice_ with-”

“Well, clearly you’ve been holdin’ out on me,” he whines. “Man, if I knew you could pick locks we could’ve gotten into all _kinds_ of places!”

You stop your attempts to lockpick as you turn and look at him incredulously.

“Mammon,” you say. “You’re _literally_ the Avatar of _Greed_. You’re _constantly_ stealing stuff from people, mostly your brothers. Are you seriously telling me you _don’t_ know how to pick locks?”

“Uhh-”

You stumble backwards as the door unlatches and suddenly swings open.

“… Mammon. Logan.”

“Oh, hi Lucifer!” you greet nervously.

“Just **what** do you two think you are doing?”

* * *

“Send me with ‘im!”

“I’m afraid that’s not possible,” Diavolo frowns. “This is something Logan has to do alone.”

“But- That’s not fair!!” he protests angrily.

“Mammon?”

He turns to see you tugging on his sleeve, offering him a reassuring smile.

“I _may_ have run my mouth a bit tonight in defense of your brother,” you say. “But, I _really_ don’t think Diavolo would ever really put me in harm’s way. If this is what I have to do to get Belphegor out of prison, then this is just what I have to do.”

“I can’t let ya go alone! What if you get hurt? Or, I dunno, lost in _time_ or somethin’?” he whines grumpily. “I can’t do it. I can’t just sit here waitin’ for you to come back, I just _can’t_ , okay?! What if something happens and I’m not there to protect you? That’s supposed to be my job!”

This is the most he’s said about his feelings for you in months. You take his face in your hands and he melts into your touch, bringing his own hands up to hold yours as he closes his eyes.

His breath hitches slightly as your lips meet, kissing him reassuringly. When you break it off he leans in for more, missing the brief connection already.

“Would it help if I promised to be okay?” you offer, pressing your forehead against his.

“Mmn… Maybe…” he trails off. “No,wait, I dunno.”

“I promise,” you say, moving your hands to hold him securely by his shoulders as he does the same with yours. “I will do _everything_ in my power to come out of this okay and come back to you.”

“Logan…” he breathes shakily.

“Besides,” you slip away, grinning at him. “You’re probably going to want this back, right?”

He startles as he looks at you, then at his hands. “My ring-!”

You slide it onto your middle finger for safe keeping. “Trust me,” you smile. “I’ll be okay.”

“Right this way, Logan,” Barbatos bows, a sly smile on his face.

You follow the butler further into the castle and out of sight. Mammon runs a hand through his hair, the phantom weight of the missing ring bothering him.

“Well,” Diavolo chuckles. “ _That_ was interesting!”

“He stole the ring right off your hand, lmaoo!” Levi chortles.

Satan smirks at his older brother. “When did you teach Logan how to do that?”

“… I didn’t.”

* * *

Your breath catches at the scene in front of you.

The smell of blood hits you first – you can see a pool of it, thick and red at their feet. You see the brothers standing there, unsure of what to do. You see Belphegor standing a short distance away, laughing.

And in the middle of it, you see Mammon. And you see _you_.

“Logan! _Logan!!_ Can ya hear me?!”

“This is bad…”

You can’t tell what your injuries are, but it’s obvious from where you’re standing that you’re not going to make it. Mammon is kneeled down on the floor, cradling your limp body in his arms, his designer jacket covered in dark red stains and his sunglasses pushed up into his hair as he wipes his eyes on his shoulder. He glances up and scowls at his brothers surrounding him.

“What are you all standin’ around for?!” Mammon bellows, voice wavering in grief. “ _DO_ SOMETHING!”

“I fear it may already be too late…” Lucifer frowns.

“Logan’s lost too much blood,” Satan adds softly.

“She’s not breathing…” Levi whimpers.

“Is there really nothing we can do??” Asmo sobs.

“Logan…” Beel moans sadly.

“You all look like such **_idiots_** right now.”

Belphegor cackles at the assembled brothers. “A human’s about to kick the bucket, and you’re all acting like it’s the end of the world. It’s just a _human_ , why should any of _you_ care?” he mocks.

… Something inside of Mammon seems to _snap_.

He goes very still, setting you… Your _body_ … Aside, and standing to his feet with an eerie calmness about him. Asmo kneels down and pulls your head to rest on his lap, brushing the hair from your face and checking you over.

The air around him seems to tear to shreds as his demon form manifests. He lunges at Belphegor and grips him by the throat, pinning him to the side of the staircase held up off the ground.

The assembled brothers are rapidly reminded why Mammon’s designated as second only to Lucifer.

“You **_bastard_** _,_ ” he snarls.

You’ve _never_ seen Mammon this angry before. And from the looks on the brothers’ faces, you don’t think any of _them_ have, either.

“Belphie!” Beel cries out, panicked.

“Mammon?!” Asmo gasps.

“I can’t look!” Levi yelps, hiding his eyes behind a hand.

“Lucifer, Mammon is going to _kill_ him! You have to stop him,” Satan insists.

Lucifer levels his gaze with a gasping Belphegor, folding his arms. He makes no move to approach them or stop what’s about to happen.

“You have no idea how important Logan was to Mammon, do you?” he charges icily.

… What?

“Wh…” Belphegor echoes, gasping as tears form in the corners of his eyes.

Tears are streaming down Mammon’s face. “My **one** chance at happiness, and you **took her from me!!** ”

He slams him against the stairs, the wood siding cracking from the impact, then throws Belphegor across the foyer into the other set where he crumples into a heap.

Beel looks between your body on the ground, then over at his twin brother, and seems to make a decision. His demon form shifts into view and he attempts to put himself between Belphegor and Mammon.

“Mammon-,” he begins.

The Avatar of Greed punches him, _hard_. He falls back on the floor and slides a short way, nursing his opened lip.

“There’s no reason for anyone else to die today!” he calls out after them.

“Beel…” Satan mutters, awed that he was subdued so easily, and by _Mammon_ of all demons.

“It doesn’t _have_ to be **_today_** ,” he snarls, incensed. He picks up Belphegor by the collar of his shirt, glaring dangerously down at the weaker demon. “I’ll do the same thing you did you her, except I’ll make it _last_. I’ll make it so it takes you **a thousand years to _die_ for what you’ve done!**”

Mammon’s seriously out of control. You have to do something. You have to _stop_ him!

“This is serious, Lucifer!” Satan demands.

You ready yourself with a deep breath, standing from your hiding place.

“I know,” the eldest answers calmly, seemingly content to allow things to continue spiraling out of control. “But first he should know what he’s done. **Isn’t that right, Mammon?** ”

You head over to the balcony.

“… The Hell’s so important about some-” Belphie gurgles, his brows furrowed.

You grip the railing as you open your mouth to shout.

“ **She was my _soulmate!_** ”

“… Mammon?!”

At once, seven heads turn to you. Mammon gapes, dropping Belphegor to the floor again.

“You’re- _How??_ ” he stutters, confused. He glances between you and your… _Body_ , but-

“Whoa!” Asmo gasps.

Your body, or the version of you that was killed at least, suddenly shines brightly and evaporates into light.

“What happened??” Levi asks. “Wasn’t that… Logan?”

“How are there two Logans?” Satan asks. “Was that one… A _fake?_ ”

“No, they are both real,” Lucifer reveals. “Although, I am not yet sure how…”

“Mammon,” you say softly, voice trembling at everything you’ve just seen and heard. “Get up here already.”

… For some reason you were _not_ expecting him to actually _fly_ up. When he lands on his feet on the balcony with you, he immediately pulls you into his arms. His hold is exceedingly gentle, his body shuddering uneasily against you, hands gripping your back and shoulders here and there as if confirming to himself that you’re all in one piece.

“… You’re _okay_ ,” he mumbles by your ear, sounding completely broken by what he’s witnessed tonight.

You squeeze him tight and tousle his hair a bit. “I promised you I would be. Remember?”

He pulls away and you take his hands in yours and have him hold your face. “You’re really okay,” he breathes, his eyes still wet and puffy from crying. “I… I didn’t know he was gunna… I couldn’t protect you, I-”

“Mammon, I’m right here. I’m safe, you’ve got me,” you reassure him.

He sniffles and wipes his eyes on his shoulder again, not wanting to move his hands away or lose sight of you for a single second. Finally, he seems to snap out of it and his demon form slips out of view, his arms coming up around your shoulders to hug you tighter this time. You rub his back soothingly as he clutches at you.

“Although,” you add teasingly. “When were you going to tell me that we’re soulmates?”

His breath catches and he freezes. “UH-”

“Looks like our timing is impeccable.”

You peek over his shoulder at the two new guests standing in the entranceway. Diavolo and Barbatos survey the scene with faintly amused faces.

“Lord Diavolo?” Lucifer gapes.

“What are _they_ doing here?” Belphegor grumbles, rising unsteadily to his feet. Beel is at his side in an instant, draping his smaller twin’s arm over his shoulders to help him stay upright.

“Logan, have you finished what you came here to do?” Lord Diavolo asks calmly.

“Not yet,” you say, breaking off the hug in order to face them, but you grip his hand in yours to keep him close to you. “I was uh, kind of busy being murdered.”

He starts, alarmed at your statement. “But you seem to be in good health?” he asks.

“Yeah, uh, thank your butler there for that. I think the fact that I didn’t actually die might’ve had something to do with him,” you joke darkly.

Barbatos says nothing, just flashes you a knowing smile.

“… Well, I’m very glad that you haven’t been murdered tonight,” Lord Diavolo says uncomfortably, not sure if he should be relieved or amused. “Would you mind coming down from there? Perhaps we should have this conversation face to face.”

“Oh, yeah, I’ll-“

Before you can protest, Mammon scoops you up in his arms and bridal carries you through the door behind you.

“Mammon?!” you fluster. He _never_ does stuff like this unprompted.

“I don’t trust those stairs,” he explains, taking you down to the main level another way. “I kinda threw my brother into ‘em.”

Right. “So you’re going to be overprotective now, is that it?”

“ _Oi_ , don’t make a big thing of it, human,” he sneers playfully.

He carries you the whole way to the foyer main level. Setting you down in front of Lord Diavolo, Barbatos, and his brothers, you turn to Belphegor, who eyes you warily.

“In your own time, Logan,” Diavolo smiles.

You turn to Belphegor. “… Lilith didn’t die in the war,” you explain calmly. “Lord Diavolo saved her by changing her into a human when she fell. She lived, she fell in love, and she was happy.”

“What?!” he gapes, shocked. “No, there’s no way. How could he- That’s impossible!”

“… It’s true,” Lucifer admits solemnly. “Although, I am not sure how _you_ know about it…”

“ _You_ actually told me, in another time and place,” you tell him.

“Logan is telling the truth,” Diavolo confirms for you.

“So… Lilith really survived!?” Asmo gasps. “Where… Where _is_ she!?’

“Lilith was turned into a human, Asmo,” Satan reflects calmly. “But, with how long ago that was…”

“Lilith…” Beel frowns mournfully.

“Okay, then explain this; Mammon claims that Logan is his soulmate, but demons _can’t_ have human soulmates. It’s _always_ been separate,” Belphegor charges irritably.

“Logan, have you figured it out yet?” Diavolo asks warmly. “Or, should I tell them what we’ve discovered?”

“… I’m related to Lilith,” you realize with mild shock. “I must be her distant descendant. It makes sense… And that voice I heard must have been-”

“ _What?!_ ” Belphegor snarls. “No, there’s no way. I can’t believe it. I-I _won’t!_ ”

Beel drops his brother’s arm off of his shoulders and comes over to hug you, _very_ gently.

“Lilith…” he murmurs softly.

“I just _knew_ there was something special about you, Logan, but to think you’re actually _family!_ ” Asmo cheers.

Levi’s overwhelmed emotionally and bursts into tears. “She… She _lived_ … Lilith, she _really_ -”

“… It makes sense,” Lucifer mutters, awed by this revelation.

“Oi, oi, give her some space!” Mammon complains, dispersing the crowd of brothers converging on you. “Don’t you guys think Logan’s been through enough for one night?!”

“We should still sit and discuss it,” Satan suggests. “Find out the other details Lord Diavolo arrived to share with us.”

“I will prepare some tea,” Barbatos offers warmly.

“I-I-”

Everyone turns to look at Belphegor, who is backing away from the group, biting his sleeve with tears streaming down his face.

“I _can’t_ \- She’s _not_ \- She _can’t be_ -”

Beel turns and reaches for him, but his arm is swatted away.

“… Bel-?”

Belphegor runs away, muttering manically in between sobs as he disappears into the house.

“… I’ll talk to him,” Beel offers, giving you a slight apologetic shrug as he leaves to do so.

* * *

“… Is Belphie going to be okay?”

“With everythin’ that happened tonight, you’re worried about _him?_ ” Mammon huffs incredulously, stroking your hair and down your back as he holds you against him on his bed later that night.

“I mean,” you hum. “He must have been really shocked. I can’t imagine what he’s going through right now. Especially after, well, _you_ know.”

“What he did to you,” he fills in the blank flatly.

“Well, _yeah_ ,” you agree. “And what you almost did to him.”

He shifts uncomfortably at that. “Well… He had it comin’. … And, Lucifer would’ve stopped me before I went too far,” he adds distantly.

“So,” you roll over on top of him, fiddling with the collar of his black t-shirt. “ _Soulmates_ , huh?”

He flusters, blushing bright red and hiding his face. “Ya weren’t supposed to hear that!”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” you ask, taking his hands in yours so you can see him.

“I wasn’t gunna,” he pouts, looking away. “Besides, it kinda sounded like you didn’t even _want_ me.”

“… _What?_ ” you blurt out, trying to stifle a laugh. “What gave you _that_ idea?”

“I mean,” he snorts, looking at you seriously now. “The first thing you said to me was about tradin’ me in!”

You furrow your brow, trying to remember the first time you met. You didn’t really think it was all that significant at the time, but…

You burst out laughing.

“Hey!!” he grumbles. “What’s so funny anyways?!”

“Mammon,” you chuckle. “The first thing _you_ said to _me_ was that you were going to rob me and then swallow me _whole_. Don’t you think that _maybe_ that had something to do with why I responded that way?”

He flusters as he realizes that yes, he definitely _did_ threaten you the first time you met each other.

“I mean… That’s… That’s just, typical _demon_ stuff, ya know?!” he reasons away awkwardly.

You lean down and kiss his nose.

“I love you,” you hum softly at him.

He takes his hands back from you, pulling you in to rest your head against his chest and holding you firmly against him.

“… You’re not allowed to go dyin’ on me, got it?” he grumbles.

“I’ll do my best.”

“I _mean_ it.”

“I get it, you love me too,” you tease.

“Hey- I didn’t say that!!”

“I know,” you sigh happily, settling in on his chest.

Then you lift your head up, abruptly remembering something. “Oh, your ring-” you realize, going to take it off your hand.

He holds up his hand and you see that he’s wearing an identical ring already.

“What?” you blink. “ _Oh_ , Barbatos merged the timelines. I guess that means there’s two now?”

“… You can keep it,” he blushes. “I like seeing you wear something of mine. Besides, you earned it.”

“I guess we match now, huh?” you say, rolling onto your back and holding your left hand up above you, admiring it in the dim light.

He holds his hand up with the matching ring too, admiring them both.

“Mm, actually,” he hums, taking your hand in his and moving the ring over to your ring finger. “ _Yeah_ , that’s better,” he says softly. “It doesn’t fit as well, but I’ll get it sized for you.”

“… Is this your way of _proposing_?” you gape at him.

“Don’t make a big thing of it,” he rolls his eyes, then he pulls you into his chest and kisses your neck, interlacing his fingers with yours. “But I _am_ keepin’ ya,” he grins into your hair. “Whether you like it or not.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to do one where he got the mistaken impression from Logan's first words that she didn't want him but it was just a bad first impression, and I _also_ wanted one where Mammon just goes _apeshit_. So, here's a this.


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